#feb24 — Public Fediverse posts

Keres – Homo Homini Lupus Review

By Thus Spoke

Homo Homini Lupus (est) — “Man is wolf to man.” The greatest danger to every one of us is from each other. People are selfish and cruel. This proverb, dating back thousands of years, was chosen by Keres to epitomise their view, that, in the words of vocalist Ares, “humanity is the biggest plague on earth.” Misanthropy is nothing new in the world of metal, and as it happens, neither are the members of Keres, despite this being their debut LP. The band formed after the break-up of black metal group The Crying of Angels, honing a death-influenced, brutal black metal sound. Their first reappearance on the scene since 2016’s Heresy, will eight years of carefully crafted hatred and savagery present in hard-hitting extreme metal, or another entry in the catalogues of forgettable fury?

Whilst wearing their blackened musical and emotional heart on their sleeve, Keres manage to make an album that’s mean, headbangable, and interesting. Violent assaults of blastbeats and d-beats trip their way into stomping grooves, and minor, sombre melodies rise up through tremolos and layered strumming alike. The twisted tones of the razor’s edge technical blackened death, cut through with vicious gurgling snarls (“Eradicate the Infected Seed,” “Immaculate Incarnation of Darkness,” “Pale Horse of Extinction”), recall something like Fractal Generator mixed with Decapitated. And at the same time, ringing, humming hanging notes, cascades of urgently melodic guitar and walls of percussion (“Void and Silence,” “Exist for War,” “Leviathan”) remind me very strongly, perhaps strangely, of Hath, or late-career Wake. Shifting quickly and easily between tempos, Keres ground their compositions in recurring refrains of rapidly descending, aggressively stabbing, and fluidly fluttering guitar that compliment with satisfying precision the emphatic crashes and rolls of the percussion. Homo Homini Lupus is a fun album to listen to.

Much is packed into Homo Homini Lupus, but in a way that’s entertaining and exciting, rather than overwhelming. Infectious, spiky riff patterns (“Exist for War,” “Eradicate…”) bring the gnarly rabidity. Near-core bobbing rhythms crunch and smash for major stank-face (“Oblivion,” “Leviathan,” “Void and Silence”). Wailing, tangled tremolo and spiralling refrains bring just enough beauty to compliment the bestiality (“Exist for War,” “Pale Horse…,” “Until Everything’s Burned”). And it all works. It’s not a mess. Quite the opposite. The smart and slick use of rhythm takes things to the next level, and you can’t resist its pulse. The flexibly shifting energies are dextrous and precise, backed up by tight, technical musicianship. Stop-start heartbeat chugs duet with twisting guitar; little flourishes and squeals accent the sidelines; rollovers skip and little fills abound; climbing and circular melodies weave up and down. And that’s just the first track. Vocals are punchy, enhancing already heavy, powerful grooves with emphatic synchronised timing to drum beats and crashes (“Oblivion”), and roaring as they pass the baton to a rising, spidery guitar solo (“Pale Horse…”).

Keres keep it snappy, exemplifying, as well as the spirit, the literal nature of Hobbes’ assertion that life in the State of Nature is “nasty, brutish, and short,” by making an album that’s as tightly executed as it is brutal and unforgiving.1 Most tracks lie between three and five minutes, and the whole thing fades to a close at just over 33. This is a good thing, because unless you’re paying close attention, Homo Homini Lupus has a paradoxical tendency to slip by without gripping you particularly tight. Give it the attention it deserves, and a couple of listens, and cool little riffs and slick rhythms will jump out at you. But the sound and fury can be, to some, easy to under-appreciate, as it lacks a little immediate bite.

However things were when I first heard Homo Homini Lupus, it’s now a little hard to put down. Fun, gnarly, and kind of addictive with its endless, earwormy bounce and flow, as well as its vicious, mean spirit. For these reasons it’s no surprise that it’s also become a solid gym companion. I hope we don’t have to wait eight more years for the next one, because if things continue like this, Keres are set to release a stone-cold banger of a sophomore.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gruesome Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Feb24 #GruesomeRecords #Hath #HomoHominiLupus #ItalianMetal #Keres #Review #Reviews #Wake

Keres – Homo Homini Lupus Review

By Thus Spoke

Homo Homini Lupus (est) — “Man is wolf to man.” The greatest danger to every one of us is from each other. People are selfish and cruel. This proverb, dating back thousands of years, was chosen by Keres to epitomise their view, that, in the words of vocalist Ares, “humanity is the biggest plague on earth.” Misanthropy is nothing new in the world of metal, and as it happens, neither are the members of Keres, despite this being their debut LP. The band formed after the break-up of black metal group The Crying of Angels, honing a death-influenced, brutal black metal sound. Their first reappearance on the scene since 2016’s Heresy, will eight years of carefully crafted hatred and savagery present in hard-hitting extreme metal, or another entry in the catalogues of forgettable fury?

Whilst wearing their blackened musical and emotional heart on their sleeve, Keres manage to make an album that’s mean, headbangable, and interesting. Violent assaults of blastbeats and d-beats trip their way into stomping grooves, and minor, sombre melodies rise up through tremolos and layered strumming alike. The twisted tones of the razor’s edge technical blackened death, cut through with vicious gurgling snarls (“Eradicate the Infected Seed,” “Immaculate Incarnation of Darkness,” “Pale Horse of Extinction”), recall something like Fractal Generator mixed with Decapitated. And at the same time, ringing, humming hanging notes, cascades of urgently melodic guitar and walls of percussion (“Void and Silence,” “Exist for War,” “Leviathan”) remind me very strongly, perhaps strangely, of Hath, or late-career Wake. Shifting quickly and easily between tempos, Keres ground their compositions in recurring refrains of rapidly descending, aggressively stabbing, and fluidly fluttering guitar that compliment with satisfying precision the emphatic crashes and rolls of the percussion. Homo Homini Lupus is a fun album to listen to.

Much is packed into Homo Homini Lupus, but in a way that’s entertaining and exciting, rather than overwhelming. Infectious, spiky riff patterns (“Exist for War,” “Eradicate…”) bring the gnarly rabidity. Near-core bobbing rhythms crunch and smash for major stank-face (“Oblivion,” “Leviathan,” “Void and Silence”). Wailing, tangled tremolo and spiralling refrains bring just enough beauty to compliment the bestiality (“Exist for War,” “Pale Horse…,” “Until Everything’s Burned”). And it all works. It’s not a mess. Quite the opposite. The smart and slick use of rhythm takes things to the next level, and you can’t resist its pulse. The flexibly shifting energies are dextrous and precise, backed up by tight, technical musicianship. Stop-start heartbeat chugs duet with twisting guitar; little flourishes and squeals accent the sidelines; rollovers skip and little fills abound; climbing and circular melodies weave up and down. And that’s just the first track. Vocals are punchy, enhancing already heavy, powerful grooves with emphatic synchronised timing to drum beats and crashes (“Oblivion”), and roaring as they pass the baton to a rising, spidery guitar solo (“Pale Horse…”).

Keres keep it snappy, exemplifying, as well as the spirit, the literal nature of Hobbes’ assertion that life in the State of Nature is “nasty, brutish, and short,” by making an album that’s as tightly executed as it is brutal and unforgiving.1 Most tracks lie between three and five minutes, and the whole thing fades to a close at just over 33. This is a good thing, because unless you’re paying close attention, Homo Homini Lupus has a paradoxical tendency to slip by without gripping you particularly tight. Give it the attention it deserves, and a couple of listens, and cool little riffs and slick rhythms will jump out at you. But the sound and fury can be, to some, easy to under-appreciate, as it lacks a little immediate bite.

However things were when I first heard Homo Homini Lupus, it’s now a little hard to put down. Fun, gnarly, and kind of addictive with its endless, earwormy bounce and flow, as well as its vicious, mean spirit. For these reasons it’s no surprise that it’s also become a solid gym companion. I hope we don’t have to wait eight more years for the next one, because if things continue like this, Keres are set to release a stone-cold banger of a sophomore.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Gruesome Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: February 23rd, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Feb24 #GruesomeRecords #Hath #HomoHominiLupus #ItalianMetal #Keres #Review #Reviews #Wake

Blood Red Delusion – Ruthless Behaviour Review

By Kenstrosity

Formed in 2008 under their original moniker Deathproof, Finnish melodic death metal quintet Blood Red Delusion rebranded in 2020 with the release of their first full-length offering under either name, State of Fear. The band finally solidified its lineup in 2022 and started getting to work preparing their follow-up, entitled Ruthless Behaviour, for release this Valentine’s Day. Is that a mere coincidence, or a purposeful marketing decision by the band? Who knows! What I do know is that if you hold a special place in your heart for 90s melodic death metal, you’ll dig Blood Red Delusion.

Riff-focused yet stuffed to the gills with exuberantly melodic leads, Blood Red Delusion’s second salvo strikes me as something fans of classic melodic death metal albums by In Flames and At the Gates—along with more modern records like Parasite Inc.’s Time Tears Down—might flock towards. Ruthless Behavior’s no-frills, no-nonsense, and aggressively death-metal-forward approach to the genre forgoes all traces of the sweeter and smoother caresses of lushly adorned modern melodic death metal records. Instead, Ruthless Behavior maintains a direct attack through dueling lead guitars, a boisterous rhythm section, rugged rasps and growls, and tightly written songs. Not a trace of progressive noodling or power-metal lactose exists here, and bridges that metalcore bands posing under the “melodeath” banner use to inject stale breakdowns instead foreshadow the arrival of energetic riffing, disgusting pinch harmonics, or ripping solos. With that in mind, Blood Red Delusion aren’t in the business of changing games or breaking molds. They simply write songs that worship the music they love, and they play it very well.

Blood Red Delusion scattered Ruthless Behavior’s most memorable material across the entire forty-two-minute runtime, making for an easily replayable experience. Starting off strong with the opening title track and its blistering core riff, Blood Red Delusion mark their place in an unquestionably death metal arena. Following close behind, the folk-tinged melodies of “Foreclosure” exhibit the band’s jaunty side, bringing a new dimension to what was already a strong mission statement. Leapfrogging to the oddly named “Back Against Them,” the listener encounters riffs and structures lightly informed by the thrash metal scene. Additionally, the piece introduces an extensive collection of arpeggiated lead melodies, shreddy solos, and squealing pinch harmonics guaranteed to twist your face up into the ugliest of grimaces. Last but not least, the late-album one-two punch of “Fear Without End” and “I Am Your God” feature the record’s most aggressive and compelling material outside of the barnstorming opener. The former reeks of At the Gates-esque galloping mixed with some very cool lead/riff collisions that entice and excite throughout. The latter boasts a slick, groovy swagger working in concert with slithering lead guitar lines to elicit an eerie twist to Blood Red Delusion’s punchy melodeath methodology.

Seemingly by sheer chance, the album’s weak points alternate between each of its most compelling offerings, creating repeated, but relatively minor quality dips liable to challenge the more impatient listener. While none are outright bad, they nonetheless lack the charisma of their album-mates and therefore negatively impact the album experience. “When Two Were One” is a perfect example. Its melodies remind me of some of In Mourning‘s mid-period material in that it takes on a more somber tone, which is a nice departure from an otherwise all-out assault. However, its monotonous pacing and relative lack of distinctive or novel songwriting cause a noticeable lull in momentum at a pivotal juncture. Earlier cuts like “Will to Fight” share plenty of attributes with the record’s highlights, but require a memorable hook or a compelling passage to help it stand out against its companions, and it just isn’t there. The closer, “Kontaminaatio,” starts off strong with a great groove, but a relative dearth of fresh ideas and a repetitive riff-melody sequence on the back half conspire against my favor for a nearly six-minute song.

In short, Ruthless Behavior offers many cool, creative, and engaging tunes spread out across the runtime well enough to carry any listener’s interest through to the record’s final moments. It also offers a few others which aren’t as compelling, holding it back from greatness. Still, Blood Red Delusion prove to be an exciting upset in the underground melodic death metal scene. If you like your melodeath with sharp teeth and some grit, Ruthless Behavior is waiting for you in the back alley.

Rating: Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self Release
Websites: bloodreddelusion.com | facebook.com/bloodreddelusion
Releases Worldwide: February 14th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AtTheGates #BloodRedDelusion #DeathMetal #Deathproof #Feb24 #FinnishMetal #InFlames #InMourning #MelodicDeathMetal #ParasiteInc #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease

Blood Red Delusion – Ruthless Behaviour Review

By Kenstrosity

Formed in 2008 under their original moniker Deathproof, Finnish melodic death metal quintet Blood Red Delusion rebranded in 2020 with the release of their first full-length offering under either name, State of Fear. The band finally solidified its lineup in 2022 and started getting to work preparing their follow-up, entitled Ruthless Behaviour, for release this Valentine’s Day. Is that a mere coincidence, or a purposeful marketing decision by the band? Who knows! What I do know is that if you hold a special place in your heart for 90s melodic death metal, you’ll dig Blood Red Delusion.

Riff-focused yet stuffed to the gills with exuberantly melodic leads, Blood Red Delusion’s second salvo strikes me as something fans of classic melodic death metal albums by In Flames and At the Gates—along with more modern records like Parasite Inc.’s Time Tears Down—might flock towards. Ruthless Behavior’s no-frills, no-nonsense, and aggressively death-metal-forward approach to the genre forgoes all traces of the sweeter and smoother caresses of lushly adorned modern melodic death metal records. Instead, Ruthless Behavior maintains a direct attack through dueling lead guitars, a boisterous rhythm section, rugged rasps and growls, and tightly written songs. Not a trace of progressive noodling or power-metal lactose exists here, and bridges that metalcore bands posing under the “melodeath” banner use to inject stale breakdowns instead foreshadow the arrival of energetic riffing, disgusting pinch harmonics, or ripping solos. With that in mind, Blood Red Delusion aren’t in the business of changing games or breaking molds. They simply write songs that worship the music they love, and they play it very well.

Blood Red Delusion scattered Ruthless Behavior’s most memorable material across the entire forty-two-minute runtime, making for an easily replayable experience. Starting off strong with the opening title track and its blistering core riff, Blood Red Delusion mark their place in an unquestionably death metal arena. Following close behind, the folk-tinged melodies of “Foreclosure” exhibit the band’s jaunty side, bringing a new dimension to what was already a strong mission statement. Leapfrogging to the oddly named “Back Against Them,” the listener encounters riffs and structures lightly informed by the thrash metal scene. Additionally, the piece introduces an extensive collection of arpeggiated lead melodies, shreddy solos, and squealing pinch harmonics guaranteed to twist your face up into the ugliest of grimaces. Last but not least, the late-album one-two punch of “Fear Without End” and “I Am Your God” feature the record’s most aggressive and compelling material outside of the barnstorming opener. The former reeks of At the Gates-esque galloping mixed with some very cool lead/riff collisions that entice and excite throughout. The latter boasts a slick, groovy swagger working in concert with slithering lead guitar lines to elicit an eerie twist to Blood Red Delusion’s punchy melodeath methodology.

Seemingly by sheer chance, the album’s weak points alternate between each of its most compelling offerings, creating repeated, but relatively minor quality dips liable to challenge the more impatient listener. While none are outright bad, they nonetheless lack the charisma of their album-mates and therefore negatively impact the album experience. “When Two Were One” is a perfect example. Its melodies remind me of some of In Mourning‘s mid-period material in that it takes on a more somber tone, which is a nice departure from an otherwise all-out assault. However, its monotonous pacing and relative lack of distinctive or novel songwriting cause a noticeable lull in momentum at a pivotal juncture. Earlier cuts like “Will to Fight” share plenty of attributes with the record’s highlights, but require a memorable hook or a compelling passage to help it stand out against its companions, and it just isn’t there. The closer, “Kontaminaatio,” starts off strong with a great groove, but a relative dearth of fresh ideas and a repetitive riff-melody sequence on the back half conspire against my favor for a nearly six-minute song.

In short, Ruthless Behavior offers many cool, creative, and engaging tunes spread out across the runtime well enough to carry any listener’s interest through to the record’s final moments. It also offers a few others which aren’t as compelling, holding it back from greatness. Still, Blood Red Delusion prove to be an exciting upset in the underground melodic death metal scene. If you like your melodeath with sharp teeth and some grit, Ruthless Behavior is waiting for you in the back alley.

Rating: Good!
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: PCM
Label: Self Release
Websites: bloodreddelusion.com | facebook.com/bloodreddelusion
Releases Worldwide: February 14th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AtTheGates #BloodRedDelusion #DeathMetal #Deathproof #Feb24 #FinnishMetal #InFlames #InMourning #MelodicDeathMetal #ParasiteInc #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease

#OTD Rosario Ibarra de Piedra was born in 1927. After her son was disappeared, and the authorities refused to look for him (likely because they killed him for his alleged communist activism) she formed the Eureka Committee of the Disappeared with about 100 other women in 1977. She also led hunger strikes and other political efforts to free political prisoners, resulting in the release of 148 prisoners.

Today's art is by Rapé: https://mexfiles.net/2022/04/16/rosario-ibarra-de-piedra-24-feb-1927-16-april-2022/

#history #mexico #eyes #ToWeRi #Feb24